


Pining Among the Pine Trees

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Confessions, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Pining, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Tony Being Tony, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 12:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13718025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: Loki might be a Revenger with Tony, but that doesn't mean that the engineer can trust him yet.





	Pining Among the Pine Trees

**Author's Note:**

  * For [havetaoque](https://archiveofourown.org/users/havetaoque/gifts).



> I meant to post this a few days ago but got distracted writing other things, heh. But this was inspired by the user **havetaoque** who read my story ["Caught in the Right Light"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13597791) and said the line "Pining Among the Pine Trees" in a comment. I said that would make an excellent fic title, they asked me to please write about it, and, well, here we are. Whoops?
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

"So here we are, tentative allies and you take me to a secluded pine forest on an unfamiliar planet in the middle of the afternoon. I know you've said you don't want to kill me, but you can see why some alarm bells are ringing, right?"

Tony glanced over at Loki to find the mage looking faintly amused. "So suspicious of me, Stark. You act as if I've betrayed you in the past."

Tony went to argue the point but, well, he came up short. Sure, Loki had been his enemy a little over five years ago, but when it came to personal betrayals since Tony had joined the same team as the trickster? The answer was zip. Loki had never so much as pulled a prank on him.

And, to be fair, Tony doubted Loki would have made it so obvious to the rest of the Revengers as to where they were going if the mage planned to kill him.

"Okay," Tony allowed, "so, if you're not going to secretly murder me, why are we here?"

"There is a compound you have been having trouble with," Loki began, and Tony groaned on instinct at the reminder. 

The item in question was a kind of gel that made the wearer resistant to pretty much any bug in the universe. It smelled like treacle and even did a pretty good job as sunscreen. Tony had yet to discover where it came from and he'd run out of samples to test, play around with, and try to synthesize. He'd been about ready to give up on ever working it out.

Loki however, just directed Tony to join the mage beside one of the trees. Tony had barely stopped beside him before Loki was pulling out a dagger from who-knew-where and cutting into the bark. Tony was confused until Loki drew his blade away and the tree start leaking sap, but not just any sap, _the_ sap that Tony hadn't even known _was_ sap. His eyes widening dramatically, Tony bent close to the tree, touching the bark and watching as the sap continued to drip from the tree.

"You figured out where it came from," Tony murmured with faint awe.

He saw Loki give a one-shouldered shrug from the corner of his eye. "I saw it mentioned in a text I was perusing."

Tony was already half-buried in equations and wondering how much sap he could collect on this trip. He was maybe even considering making a cutting of the tree to grow his own personal source on the ship when Loki's words registered. His mind stopped racing in one direction and turned to go down a different path, making him put two and two together and quickly straighten. He turned a narrow-eyed glare on Loki and asked, "What is this going to cost me?"

Loki blinked, looking puzzled. "Pardon?"

"I have been trying to work this out for months and there's no way a solution from _you_ comes cheap." If Tony had learnt nothing else from working with the Revengers it was that Loki always had at least five good reasons for doing anything. "What do you want from me?"

Loki just look irritated. "I was under the impression team members could offer assistance without a price being attached."

"And I'm supposed to believe that _you_ did this out of the goodness of your heart?" Tony asked, his eyebrows raised and disbelief coating his every word. "There were no ulterior motives or benefits to be gained by getting me alone and giving me something that I wanted?"

"And what would I have to gain from that?" Loki demanded sharply.

Tony wasn't put off. "I'm sure you've got something in mind. Maybe you're playing the long game. Maybe this is just to butter me up and the favour you'll want won't come until later. Now, I know honesty is hard for you, but I like to know what I'm getting into before I bite the carrot dangling over my head. So, again; what do you want?"

Loki seemed to be debating his answer for a moment, looking frustrated, but when he finally gave his response, it wasn't what Tony expected. "I wanted you to... become more receptive of me."

Tony blinked, taking a moment to digest that. "So, wait, you're telling me you're just interested in _me?_ Not a favour, not a prank, not access to my tech? Just me?" Tony snorted. "Yeah, give me a line I might actually swallow, Loki." 

But when Loki just gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, looking furious and _hurt_ , Tony actually started to second-guess himself and his flippant words. "Wait. Are you being _serious?_ " 

Loki huffed and glared, even going so far as to cross his arms over his chest defensively, saying his words like an accusation. "You _asked_ me to be honest!"

"And you're telling me that you only did this to help make me like you?" Tony asked, incredulously.

"Well," and Loki's voice was practically _dripping_ with sarcasm, "it certainly seemed more likely to gain your enthusiasm than cornering you for a kiss," his voice got sharper at the end, irritation taking over, "but perhaps I should have just attempted that option!"

Of course, Tony didn't believe him. Tony was certain that Loki was just lying out his ass and trying to distract him with the ludicrous and the impossible. So, Tony did the first thing that popped into his mind; he decided to call Loki's bluff.

They were standing close enough that Tony barely had to take more than a step to get into Loki's personal space. The mage's eyes widened at the shrinking distance, but Tony didn't let it stop him. He pressed in close and brought their mouths together. He kept his eyes open if only so as to let the triumph show in his gaze, but Tony felt his vindictive smirk falling from his face when he looked into Loki's eyes. They were so vividly green up close, and they were easy to read as shock rocked through the mage, followed by uncertainty and want. Loki's fingers even twitched between their chests, briefly reaching for Tony as if trying to pull him close, but unsure if it would be welcome.

That was impossible to fake.

It made Tony jerk back and stare at the mage from where they rested barely a hairsbreadth apart. Loki was grimacing but he also wasn't pushing Tony away. Instead, he asked quiet and resigned, "Are you going to believe me now, Stark?"

Tony swallowed, feeling out of his depth when he was still pressed bodily against Loki. It didn't mean his mouth wasn't about to start running off without him, "Did you... did you really just find out what the sap was and bring me here to try to... to _woo_ me with it?"

"How else was I meant to interest you?" Loki asked softly. "You have good reason to distrust and dislike me. I knew any attempt at gaining your favour would be best started with a gift of something you desire." He let out a soft huff of breath. "But you are perceptive, Stark and you knew there was more to my advance." He sighed. "It is one of the reasons I am so infernally drawn to you."

Tony could only give a slow nod as he tried to fit this new piece of information into the picture his mind had of Loki. It was taking a bit of working, but it was also making a lot more sense than Tony really wanted to admit. Loki was always courteous to him, always offering his assistance whenever Tony had a problem. It had never really moved into anything near flirtatious though, probably because Tony had gone out of his way to avoid being alone in a room with Loki. He tended to go to the mage as a last option. Tony also tended to ignore how well they complimented each other when they _did_ work together.

It was kind of hard to ignore that now.

Loki however, was already making a point of very gently pushing Tony back and away from him. Tony didn't fight it and soon enough, not a single part of them was touching and Loki was standing as relaxed and aloof as ever, but Tony could see a tightness to his eyes, an uncomfortable slant to his mouth. He still seemed keen to continue this new found trend of being honest though, "You are attractive, intelligent and entertaining, Stark, but I know your opinion of me is rather... negative at the moment." He offered a small, somewhat tentative smile. "I am hopeful you will still allow me the chance to change that."

"You want to _continue_ wooing me?" Tony asked, his eyebrows up near his hairline by now.

Loki gave a small nod, even while additional tension seemed to land on his shoulders. "If you are willing to allow it."

Tony found himself chewing on his bottom lip, unsure about what to say to that. It was true that he didn't hold Loki to blame for the invasion anymore what with the truth about Thanos coming to light, but it had still taken some getting used to; seeing Loki and not automatically feeling on edge. He wasn't an enemy anymore, but Tony had been through too many team betrayals to open himself up to a man who was _known_ for stabbing his brother in the back.

... But, Loki had pointed it out earlier that since becoming a Revenger, he hadn't betrayed anybody and especially not Tony. He was attractive too, Tony couldn't deny that, and fascinating to talk to (if Tony was being honest with himself). Loki had also gone out of his way to find the one thing that he knew Tony wanted, not to get a favour, but just to make Tony think about him a little more positively.

Because Loki _was_ playing the long game. The kind that came with the slow development of a relationship and rapport until Loki felt confident enough to try pursuing something more with Tony.

It was kind of... sweet, actually, romantic even, and very gentlemanly. It was possibly the only time someone had ever gone out of their way to try and gain Tony's attention for no other reason than because they liked and wanted him. It softened Tony more than he cared to admit.

Tony found his gaze flicking to the tree and the sap that had finally stopped flowing before back to Loki who was still standing rigidly; looking unsure and searching Tony for an answer. It made Tony quirk a tiny smile. "Yeah, I'd be alright with that."

It took a few moments, but when Loki smiled, it was small yet it showed his teeth and dimples in an action that looked far too boyish and innocent for a man with the reputation he had.

"I'm glad," he paused, his eyes practically dancing with pleasure, " _Tony_."

The way his name was said--so full of happiness, like a well coveted prize--was almost like a contented purr, it made Tony want to shiver and duck his head. Loki just seemed so _pleased_ and Tony never knew how to handle that when he was the one causing it. 

So he turned away and tried to distract them, focusing on the sap as he cleared his throat. "Right, so um. You said you found some info on this sap, right?" 

"Ah..." Loki murmured, a noticeable drop in his voice. "I can give you the book when we return to the ship."

Flicking his eyes to Loki, Tony found the mage had hurriedly masked most of his excitement after witnessing Tony's reaction, obviously assuming it had been the source of Tony's discomfort. It made Tony want to fix it, to undo it; to say something to make the light come back into Loki's eyes and before he could think about it Tony found himself offering, "Or maybe you could come by the lab and help me with it?"

Loki blinked, but then he _grinned again_ ; honest and soft and delighted. "I would enjoy that."

It made Tony grin back even while hurriedly throwing himself into collecting some of the sap and chatting with Loki about what he hoped to do with it. It was surprisingly easy, surprisingly _natural_ to fall into step beside Loki, it was almost as if they'd been doing it for years.

It made him think that maybe it wouldn't be all that hard to change his opinion about Loki... that maybe he already had, he just hadn't let himself notice it.


End file.
